After years of discussion, tours of the city's current wastewater treatment facility and expense of more than $1 million in design services for the project, the Kirksville City Council is ready to ask the voters to consider an $18 million revenue bond to overhaul the facility.

The facility has been under the microscope for more than a year, with the facility's operating permit expiring in 2011, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources requiring significant upgrades to fall within output limits.

Most recently the Council approved the design phase of the project, allocating up to $1.28 million for its contractor to assemble the project's needs and design the facility plan.

The Council is scheduled to vote on whether to propose the Special Election Revenue Bond question Monday during its meeting at City Hall. The plan would be to take the matter to Kirksville voters during the April municipal election, asking them to approve $18 million to cover the project's costs.

The Council has been relatively in step during discussions on the facility project, along with the unanimous decision to approve the design process earlier in 2012.

But the Council has been split on at least one other recent project that called for the expense of tax dollars, with Council members Bob Russell and Jerry Mills voting against the performance-contracting measure and $5.5 million project.

That project, fully independent of the wastewater plant project, called for the replacement of the city's 7,000 water meters and other measures in cost-saving moves.

At the time, Russell and Mills cited other potentially cheaper options and a desire to judiciously spend tax dollars.

Council member Tony Fajkus will not be present at Monday's meeting due to business travels, according to city staff.

Next meeting

WHAT: Kirksville City Council

WHERE: City Hall

WHEN: 6 p.m.

ON THE AGENDA: The Kirksville City Council will vote Monday on whether to place an $18 million bond issue on the April ballot. The bond funds would go toward required improvements to the city's wastewater treatment plant.